The Grenada gazette. (Grenada, Miss.) 1885-18??, 1887-08-06
MARRIED PERSONS,

The clear and almost effected ten
dcncy of to-day is to consider that thu
marriage relation makes no difference
whatever in the status of the two mar
ried persons. except to affect the de-
scent of their property after death, and
to make it a penal offense for the hus-
band to refuse to support his wife.
Oalv in California. Dakota, Georgia
and New Mexico is it declared that
''the husband is the head Of the family
and the wife is subject to him" Only
in Louisiana and New Mexico does she
''owe obedience to him. and is she
expressly obliged to live with him, and
this because the law Of those States
comes from French and Spanish
sources. In many States the husband
is no longer liable for his wife's
trcspasses, and in nearly all she
is not bound to pay his debts.
And in Oregon and Washing
ton Territory 'all laws Except voting
aud holding oifice) which impose or
recognize civil disabilities upon a wife
which are not imposed or recognized
as existing to the husband are repeal
ed;' while Mississippi boldly pro-
nounces the common law as to dis
abilities of married women and their
property to be abrogated. While, on
the other hand. doors of escape from
marriage have been multiplied, the en-
tcring into marriage has been dis
couraged. Pennsylvania and Georgia
expressly SO state. and in all States the
ease. q~uiehness and simplicity Of the
marriage ceremony has been greatly
increased. The solitary exception to
this rule-that the age of legal NOR
rage has generally been changed from
common law rule of fourteen and
twelve to sixteen, eighteen and even
twcrty-one-is probably due to climatic
reasons. The prohibited degrees
have been reduced, and first cousins
a generally marry; bans have been
done away with. and informal and
deceptive marriages recognized.
Illegal relations have been more
strictly treated. Adultery has in many
States been made a criminal o%ffense.
and if other Illicit relations have been
treated leniently in the criminal law,
in the civil law every possible remedy
has been afforded the injured party for
reparation or compensation. We may
therefore conclude, despite the con.
sentative reaction notable in the last
few years, that the tendency Of DEM
ocracy (the democratic system of
government, not in the partisan sense)
has SC far been, while recognizing
marriage as a civil status, to deny the
right of the husband to authority and
possession which has hitherto been the
axiom OF the Anglo-Saxon view of that
Institution. and to make marriage a
contract easily made and easily ended.
while strictly furnishing offenses
against the marital relation while it
lasts.
Democracy has already cmancipated
woman; will it e%nfranchise her? All
restrictions Of properly privilege, trade
or contract have been generally re-
moved; save only those of political
power. Socially, it may be fairly said.
or, at all events, ma y soon be said,
that women have their rights; POLITICAL
ly, they are still women in the etymo-
logical sense wives.
On this question, Democracy's first
uttcrance vas most conservative. BY
the express constitution of all the
States Of the Union, without exception,
the elective franchise was confined to
males. But in Colorado and in Wis
consin the constitution gives the Leg
islature power at any time to extend
the right of suffrage to women, il ap-
proved at a general election by a mere
majority of the people. and both in
Colorado and Minnesota it provides
that ONE shall vote upon
school questions. and the
same is law In several
other States. Several States are now
agitating the question Of giving women
a right to vo,e AT municipal elections
also. BY the constitution OF Califor.
MIA no woman may be disqualified
from entering upon any lawful bust
ness, profession or vocation, but by
that of Missouri it is specified that the
Governor and the members of the Leg
i~slature must be men. In Georgia
alone 1t is expressly enacted that
woman can neither vote hold Office nor
perform any civil functions unless es-
pecially authorized by law; and on the
other hand, that they are free Of mill
tary, jury, police, patrol and road du-
ties. So. in Louisiana, it Is ssnely de-
clared that the law, by reason Of the
difference Of sexes, has established be-
tween mon and women essential differ
ences with respect TO their civil. social
and political rights. But In Illinois
woman NAV MT hA axc1tdod